Category: 2sb News

Ana, who like me, is an unpaid spokesperson for Timbuk2 messenger bags, points out they have a new scooter-print bag. Just in time ’cause Tracie needs one. $80/$100 sounds like a lot, but mine’s probably six or eight years old and might as well be new.

Kris reminds us that the MODchicago weekender is this weekend, and sent us the details on the scooter show:

I just wanted to remind you and everyone that on June 11th 12th at Delilahs, MODchicago is having a scooter competition with prizes!

This ties in with the MODchicago Weekender*and is at the same time as the*MOD Garage Sale and Record Swap that will be going on Saturday afternoon.

We are asking all interested scooterists to come out and clog Lincoln ave. from 12-3. We*will be awarding prizes for a*number of catagories including Best Vintage, MOD, and Rat Bike. Everyone is welcome. Prizes are being provided by our sponsors*Ben Sherman and*Yellow Jacket Vintage. amongst others.

Delilahs will also be giving every scooterist a FREE pint of beer just for stopping by. An impromptu ride will follow the gathering going in some direction away from Delilahs.

For those of you (DAWN!) saying scooterists in Chicago never do anything, allow me to point out that’s THREE WEEKENDS IN A ROW of Chicago-area rallies, with Slaughterhouse X, Screw City 6, and the Defilers’ rally still to come.

Guitar Center is giving away a pair of Flogging Molly-customized vintage Vespas. Looks like a VBB and a 70s smallframe, not bad. (Matt Hensley of Flogging Molly is a skateboarder and scooterist). Look, Myk, it says “Innes” on it! Thanks to Xavy Baby for the link!

Matt OiManurdum’s utterly hilarious prank on an eBay scammer trying to sell a fenderlight Vespa from Scooterwork’s site for $1000. A must-read!

Scoot.net mad-lib postcards. Fanfreakingtastic. I heart Bill.

WideMag, which appears to be a webzine for globetrotting horny frat boys, has released a DVD called 2 Stroke America featuring the exploits of the High Endurance Scooter Club of Orlando, Florida. It actually looks pretty cool, judging from the trailer.

Hey kids, don’t forget, Los Corazones Negros’ Suburban Cowboy Rally is the week after Galewood, June 4-5-6 in Chicago and Garden Prairie, IL.

The clock is ticking towards G2K4. Are you ready?

As if there needed to be anohter way for you to waste time at work talking about scooters, we welcome you to 2SBchat. I just noticed it was free with my hosting, so I set it up, but you’ll me more likely to find me over at scoot.net chat.

Has anyone else recieved this cryptic email?

Hello,

I am the assistant manager of the palace’s northwest wing starbucks for the King of Zimbabwe. Along with my duties of making sure that our King’s morning coffee is at the required temperature and sweetness (he likes a lot of sugar), I am in charge of the exportation of non-vital non-military personnel carriers.

Due to an uprising amongst militant gorillas we are forced to export all of our non-vital non-military personnel carriers. We have a strong desire to do future business with you, upon completion of this task. This could amount to Millions in U.S. dollars.

We originally contacted the North American Motorized Bike Lover’s Association N.A.M.B.L.A., but were told by them that they can only accept vehicles with a child safety seat (i don’t understand, you americans are over protective of children, maybe)

What we would like to do is give you a Stella Scooter. For almost nothing! This scooter will be “donated” from Genuine Scooter Company of Chicago, and along with contacts at American Corporation Sportique Scooters, in Denver, Colorado. Once you have received your scooter, we will contact you in the not to distant future, to arrange the transfer of up to $15 Million in U.S. dollars (note, U.S. and not canadian)

We ask that you receive this Genuine Scooter Company of Chicago Stella in the following manner.

1) You must go to Denver Colorado, to the MILE HIGH MAYHEM SUPER HAPPY FUN LUCKY RALLY #7 (this is in arrangements with our asian “business” partners) the weekend of July 29th-August 1st, 2004.

2) You must attend this event under the disguise of what you Americans call a Scooterist. You must make it look like you are having fun.

3) You must buy at least 1 raffle ticket, but to ensure that your cover is not exposed we think you should buy as many as you can (don’t worry, this raffle is fixed, you will win scooter, and the Millions in U.S. dollars will be more then compensation)

4) There are many, many of other prizes we have put in raffle, if you win, just pretend that you are surprised. You can keep, consider gift in good will.

5) Once you have won, you must use scooter, so that we can track where you are, after the MILE HIGH MAYHEM SUPER HAPPY FUN LUCKY RALLY #7

To make arrangements please visit:

milehighmayhem.com.

We have chosen this event, because is North American Premier Scooter Event. Please go to scoot.net, to see other American Partners who have received Scooters at this rally.

Please to look for more information on this rally, soon.

Mr V. Mushayandebvu

Banger from the Memphis Kings tipped us off that Tower Records is giving away a Pink Panther Vespa to celebrate the Panther’s 40th Anniversary. Pop artist Shag was a natural choice to do all the artwork for the rereleases, and like everything he’s ever drawn, it’s available on a patch. (Win one at the Galewood Rally!)

Since writing my rant about buying a scooter, I’ve received dozens of emails asking about the parking laws in Chicago and elsewhere. I didn’t really know where to start until 2SB reader Dan Applebaum sent me several ordinances he found when researching the issue. So first of all, many thanks to Dan for taking the time to look all this up and share it with us.
Continue reading “Scooter Parking in Chicago”

The March,2004 issue of Dealer News reports that U.S scooter sales are increasing at a 20% annual rate, and now comprise about 3% of the powersports market. 47,000 legitimate scooters were sold in 2003, possibly closer to 60,000 including grey-market and non-DOT-approved units. Their top 10 U.S. scooter markets (2003):

1. Los Angeles (2039 units)
2. Chicago (1762)
3. New York City (1668)
4. Minneapolis/St. Paul (1401)
5. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale (1201)
6. Denver (1174)
7. Seattle/Tacoma (1031)
8. Salt Lake City (1022)
9. D.C./Maryland (1014)
10. Bay Area (955)

Also from Andrunka, and speaking of scooters in commercials: the Vanilla Coke site from India. Indian Actor Vivek Obero, who appears to be the Pauly Shore of Bollywood, rides a Lambretta in the TV spot, and there’s a big photo in the “mobile parampara” link (it’ll come up eventually on the bottom, the navigation is insane). According to the marketing company, the campaign also involves a team of Lambretta-riding Wacaw dancers that will visit busy neighborhoods and bust out into a dance production. This whole story is giving me flashbacks to my old job, I need to stop now.